National Convention-Tuesday

Day 2 of our National Convention adventure started at 8 AM with delegate training. This is where the delegate coordinators stressed the importance of our tasks and described what committee sessions would entail. After delegate training, we were treated to an excellent meal at the Welcome to Indy Luncheon. This is where the delegates got an opportunity to mingle with sponsors and honored guests that helped make convention possible. I had a very nice lunch with two members of the Indianapolis Housing Bureau, an Indianapolis police officer, a state officer from Georgia, and another state officer from Kentucky. One of the most memorable things about the lunch was the autographed football on the table. At the center of every table was a football autographed by Peyton Manning and Dallas Clark. Unfortunately, I didn't win the football, but it was still pretty sweet.

After our lunch, we headed over to our committee meetings to get started. My committee was a steering committee for National FFA to create a Vet Science CDE. We had an expert come in from National FFA and breakdown the situation for us, and then it was up to us to create a guideline from a student perspective as to what we wanted in this CDE. It got heated at times, but eventually we put together a very respectable recommendation for the entire delegate body.

Finally finishing up the delegate sessions, it was time for the highly anticipated Wrangler dinner. As a first time delegate myself, I had heard stories of past Wrangler dinner's that had me excited. Basically, everyone dresses in their wranglers and flannel or plaid and puts on big belt buckles and then we eat a great meal. Wrangler sponsors the dinner and there is usually a guest speaker. This year, the speaker was a professional bull rider who overcame a speaking deficiency to pursue his dreams of riding bulls. The best thing about all of the dinners, aside from the delicious food, is probably getting to mingle with people from all across the United States. Delegates are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and everyone is so excited to learn about their counterparts from across the country. At the Wrangler dinner, I sat with some great folks from Texas. All in all, it was just a great meal.